“And we have elaborate, 1950s retro products that are seeing sales really skyrocketing through the roof,” said Heffron, owner of Heffron’s General Contracting Inc. and his newer design shop, A Moment in Time Retro Design. “We’re being pushed to the limit with business from as far away as Germany, the UK. We’re getting business daily from throughout the States, and a lot from Canada.”

What’s the deal?

Through his products and labor, Heffron’s team converts rooms and sheds into themed play areas. Besides the ‘50s diner look, the Adirondack diner theme is also hot, said Heffron (prices for design and build-out vary by room size and amenities, including laminates, banding, booths, stools and more).

“We don’t want to pigeonhole ourselves to the 1950s,” said Heffron. “So we are going to be doing the Adirondack theme, logs on the side of a shed, for example, a log bar, wood floor, maybe some wood booths, like what you would see in Old Forge.”

The diners Heffron evokes for the ‘50s theme have a decidedly Syracuse look, said Heffron, noting Stella’s and The Gem as examples.

Next, they’re going the rental route: Heffron’s team is outfitting a mobile home to evoke a 1950s diner. It will be a rental unit, for graduations, parties and office events, said Heffron.

Heffron stumbled into this growing side business a couple of years ago. He said he was restoring a ranch house built in the 1950s to its circa-‘50s, 1960s look. Other customers caught a glimpse of what he was doing.

“I did not realize there was this large demand,” said Heffron. “We’ve grown quite a bit in the retro aspect, to the point of helping even our suppliers grow.”

Heffron said he thinks he’s on to something — and may even franchise A Moment in Time.

“It’s a neat thing seeing tiki bars around pools, but nobody has anything like this,” said Heffron. “New York (state) is always accused of being behind the times with the West Coast. Well, this is unique. The West Coast doesn’t have this. As far as I can see, this look of the B’ville Diner, Little Gem and Stella’s, we seem to be the only people around who got into and it and are selling and marketing it.”

You’re looking for opening dates for the new Clark’s Ale House in Armory Square. So are we! The flux date is a real beef we roast here at The P-S. It’s definitely scheduled, for later this year, in Armory Square. As you know, Clark’s was displaced by the Landmark Theatre renovations, but it’s reopening a pint away on Clinton Street.

Creekside Books & Coffee at 35 Fennell St. in Skaneateles has brought aboard products from Ryan Kovak’s local Chocolate Pizza. Just an FYI. Valentine’s Day and all that.